Waterproof covering for visored caps



Jan. 26, 1965 R. J. BANELLO, JR

WATERPROOF COVERI NG FOR VISORED CAPS Filed Jan. 30, 1964 INVENTOR Raymond J Bane/lad:

My cf. (MM/2,

tecting the wearers neck against-the elements.

United States Patent 3,166,766 WATERPROGF COVERING FOR VISORED CAPS Raymond J. Banello, Jr., 1503 Woodman Ave.,

Silver Spring, lVId. Filed Jan. 3t), 1964, Ser. No. 341,266 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-'187) The present invention relates to waterproof coverings for caps, and more particularly to removable, flexible, synthetic plastic covers for sportsmens caps having visors.

In the sports of golf and baseball, for example, a cap which has a head conforming crown and a visor is often worn. Such a cap also is worn sometimes by fishermen, gas station attendants and other persons.

Frequently a cap is made from cloth that contains a dye. The visor of the cap is made from a piece of cardboard or similar material that is covered by the cloth. If the cap gets wet the dye may run. In addition the cap might shrink and/or the visor might become deformed. A golfer, who often leaves his cap on when it rains, is very apt to ruin several caps during a season.

Moreover, a cap that is made as is described above provides some comfort in the rain, but it wont keep the head dry for very long. Also, it does not afford any protection to the back of the neck. It would be highly desirable to keep water from running down the neck, especially to a golfer while he is trying to make a putt on the putting green; 7

Somecaps, which are relatively expensive, are made with a layer of cloth and a layer of plastic that are sewn together. This type of cap protects the head from rain, but in warm weather the cap is hot and very uncomfortable to wear. Moreover, this type of cap is not convenient to store and be available to wear when it begins to rain. Also, if the plastic becomes torn or cracks, the cap is ruined.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a lightweight, flexible, waterproof synthetic plastic covering adapted for removable mounting upon a visored sportsmans cap to completely cover the visor and crown portions thereof.

Yet another object is to provide a lightweight and inexpensive rain cover for a cap of the type that has a head conforming crown and a visor, wherein the rain cover is easily and quickly fitted upon the cap and stays put on the cap to afford protection both to the cap and to the i head. I

Another object is to provide a rain cover which has the advantages pointed out in the preceding paragraph,

' and in addition has the advantage that the cover can be rolled up and contained within itself to form a neat and compact package which protects the cover and occupies only a small, storage space.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a lightweight waterproof cover adapted for removable mounting upon a visored cap, said cover including integral crown and visor portions for covering the corresponding crown and visor portions of the cap, a first-pocket carried by said visored portion for receiving the foreward extremity of the cap visor; and continuous elastic band meansfor frictionally connecting the lower-periphery of the crown portion with that of the cap. Furthermore, the cap includes a second pocket that depends freely from the rear lower edge of the crown portion of the cover below The secondpocket serves as a receptacle .into which the cover maybe rolled for storage when not in use. According to the preferred embodiment the elastic band means.

a cap Ill and a Waterproof coverlS.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the head covering showing the waterproof cover as it is being put on the cap to form the head covering; I v p FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the waterproof cover after it has been rolled up into itself for storage; v FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken from line 55 in FIG. 2; and

FIG; 6 is a sectional view of a modification of the head covering.

Referring to the drawing, the head covering comprises i In rainy weather both the cap and the cover areworn as a head covering to keep the head dry. In fair weather the waterproof cover is removed from the cap and the cover is rolled up into a self-containing pocket 15 at the back of the cover.

Thecap 11 is made from lightweight cloth and has a head conforming crown and a visor 17. The visor contains a stiffener such ascardboard. As an example, the cap 11 might be a conventional golf cap. I

The waterproof cover 13 is made from a thin, inexpensive piece of lightweight, waterproof, plastic substance such as polyethylene. The cover comprises a head conforming crown, a first pocket 1? at the front of the cover, a second pocket 15 at the back of the cover, and a neck protecting portion 21. The first pocket 19 receives the cap visor 17 to protect the visor from water and to secure the front of the waterproof cover to the cap. The second pocket is provided at the bottom of a neck protecting portion 21 so that the cover, when it is not being used, can be rolled up and contained within itself in a compact package that may be stored neatly in a small space.

FIG. 4 shows the cover rolled up and self-contained within its pocket 15. The pocket protects the cover and helps keep the cover from being torn'when the cover is not being used. Since the cover is made from polyethylene it is very light and occupies a small storage space. Therefore, it might be stored in a golf bag or it might be carried around 'in a golfers pocket (or in the pocket of anyone else who might want such a cover to protect their cap).

Around the inside of the crown of the cover an elastic band 23 is provided. The band 23, which is seen more clearly in FIG 1 where a fragment of the waterproof being used. The elastic band permits the cover 13 to be of the invention, this second pocket is carried by a neck a protecting portion that is integralwith the-visor and crown portions of the cover and serves as means for'pro- The details of the present invention will become more removed easily from the cap 11 and stored away, leaving the cap to be worn by itself in fair weather.

In addition to providing a support for the pocket 15, the .neck protecting portion 21 keeps the back of the neck dry, when it rains. To agolfer, for example, this is especially desirable becauseit keeps water from running down the back of his neck while heis putting. Also it'provides' protection from the wind. Moreover, the neck portion 21 might be made from a material that affords protection from the 'suns rays so that the cover might he slipped on to the cap during sunny-weather for protecting the neck from the sun. In the event the neck protecting portion is notdesired, the cover can be made as is shown in an alternativeembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 6.

g In- EIG. 6, the reference numerals which are primed refer to parts that. are the same as the parts carrying the Patented Jan. 26, I965 islocat ed at the back of the cover 13' just below the crown of the cover. The pocket 15' might be omitted completely if the self-containing feature is not desired.

In a preferred embodiment of the waterproof cover shown in FIGS. 1-3, the neck'portion 21 extends around the crown from approximately the middle of one side of the crown to the middle of the other side (from behind one ear to, behind the other ear). Instead the neck portion mightextend slightly farther around the crown for protecting the ears. The plastic part of the waterproof cover l3 is made from one piece of plastic and the elastic 'bandt23is sewn or fixed by any other suitable means to the'inside of the crown.

: thetic plastic waterproof material and including unitary crown, visorand neck protecting portions, said crown and visor portions of said cover being adapted to be fitted over the crown" and visor portions of said cap, respectively,

a said cover visor portion carrying beneath its forward end a first pocket portion adapted to receive the forward end Of the visor. of the cap, and continuous, elastic band means secured to the lower edge of said cover crown por- :tion for frictionally connecting the lower periphery of the crown portion of the cover with that of the cap, said neck protecting portion depending freely downwardly from'the rear portion of said crown portion below said elastic band means, the inner surface of the lower extremity of said neck protecting portion carrying a second pocket portion spaced from said elastic band means and adapted to receive the visor, crown, elastic band and neck protecting portions of said cover when the cover is removed from the cap and is rolled up into said second pocket portion.

2. A waterproof cover fora cap having visor and crown portions, said cover being formed of a flexible non-expansinle waterproof material and including unitary crown and visor portions adapted to be fitted over the crown and visor portions of the cap, respectively, said cover visor portion carrying beneath its forward end a first pocket portion adapted to receive the forward end of the visor of the cap, and an expansible elastic member secured soiely to the lower periphery of said cover crown portion for frictionally connecting the lower periphery of said crown portion with that of the cap, said cover including also a second pocket portion depending freely downwardly from the rear lower extremity of said crown portion below said elastic member, said second pocket serving as a self-contained receptacle for receiving the visor and crown portions and said elastic member when the cover is removed from the cap and is rolled into said second pocket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,525,322 2/25 Post 2-454 1,615,780 1/27 Wesala 2187 2,734,197 2/56 Kreinik 2-487 2,880,422 4/59 Blauer 2-187 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A WATERPROOF COVER FOR A CAP HAVING VISOR AND CROWN PORTIONS, SAID COVER BEING FORMED OF A FLEXIBLE SYNTHETIC PLASTIC WATERPROOF MATERIAL AND INCLUDING UNITARY CROWN, VISOR AND NECK PROTECTING PORTIONS, SAID CROWN AND VISOR PORTIONS OF SAID COVER BEING ADAPTED TO BE FITTED OVER THE CROWN AND VISOR PORTIONS OF SAID CAP, RESPECTIVELY, SAID COVER VISOR PORTION CARRYING BENEATH ITS FORWARD END A FIRST POCKET PORTION ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE FORWARD END OF THE VISOR OF THE CAP, AND CONTINUOUS ELASTIC BAND MEANS SECURED TO THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID COVER PORTION FOR FRICTIONALLY CONNECTING THE LOWER PERIPHERY OF THE CROWN PORTION OF THE COVER WITH THAT OF THE CAP, SAID NECK PROTECTING PORTION DEPENDING FREELY DOWNWARDLY FROM THE REAR PORTION OF SAID CROWN PORTION BELOW SAID ELASTIC BAND MEANS, THE INNER SURFACE OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY OF SAID NECK PROTECTING PORTION CARRYING A SECOND POCKET PORTION SPACED FROM SAID ELASTIC BAND MEANS AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE VISOR, CROWN, ELASTIC BAND AND NECK PROTECTING PORTIONS OF SAID COVER WHEN THE COVER IS REMOVED FROM THE CAP AND IS ROLLED UP INTO SAID SECOND POCKET PORTION. 